Estonian education minister promises response to teachers' compromise proposal today

TALLINN - Estonian Minister of Education and Research Kristina Kallas said at the government's press conference on Thursday that she will provide an answer to teachers, who are striking for higher pay, later on the same day regarding whether the government will consider their compromise proposal.

Kallas said that teachers have proposed as a compromise to end the strike by increasing wages this year, which requires finding an additional 10.8 million euros for their salary fund.

Kallas said she brought up this issue at the government's Cabinet meeting last week, but the coalition partners did not reach an agreement at the time.

"We need to discuss again in the Cabinet today whether to accept or reject the teachers' compromise proposal, as I have a meeting with the teachers this afternoon where I need to tell them whether the government accepts their proposal," Kallas stated.

The education minister added that her proposal to the government is still to accept the teachers' compromise, find the 10.8 million euros for this year, and thus end the strike.

Prime Minister Kaja Kallas remarked that discussions to meet the teachers' demands are scheduled for Thursday afternoon and she does not recommend holding them in front of journalists.